[mguerville]

It’s hard to shift your mindset to emotions but by and large that’s what sells, not features. So as others have said it’s all about listening and then finding the pain they have at an emotional level and seeing of your product can solve it. A productivity tool doesn’t sell on ROI calculated by hours saved, but on “freedom” and “self actualisation by doing more meaningful work and less tedious work”

[DaiPlusPlus]

> A productivity tool doesn’t sell on ROI calculated by hours saved

But isn’t that exactly how mega-successful (but awful) products like Blackboard and WebEx get sold? Or any product where the purchaser is not the user but actually from the procurement department?

[mguerville]

Yes the whole procurement process is designed to recenter the equation on the economic benefit. That’s why you need a champion on the side of the company you’re selling to, who will help you overcome the hurdle because they are really invested in your product